Priestly Communion and mortal sin

[falcogreg]

My 13 yo son asked me a question the other day I didn’t know how to answer. He was wondering if a priest who was in a state of mortal sin can receive communion while celebrating mass. Now, being that it is a requirement that the priest receive in both forms to validate a mass, I would imagine there must be instances where a priest is in a state of mortal sin while he is celebrating the mass. Is he committing an additional sin? Is he given special privileges/forgiveness for this with the expectation that he must go to confession immediately at his first opportunity? Please help.

Thanks, Greg

 

[NickVA]

If the priest really cared about not offending God, He would find another priest to say mass until he confessed his sin(s).

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yes a priest can still receive and it would still validate the Mass, but the priest is committing a grave sin for doing so.

Now if there is no other priest within reasonable time and distance, the priest may make an act of perfect contrition, perform his duties to his flock to say Mass, and seek another priest when he has time later on and confess.

 

[Spirithound]

The priest must indeed consume both Sacred Species in every Mass he celebrates. If he is in mortal sin, and there is no possibility of making a confession, he needs to makes an Act of Perfect Contrition, with the resolution to confess as soon as possible. If he cannot make perfect contrition, he is committing another mortal sin by consuming the Holy Eucharist.

 

[Mark1970]

I remember reading something about this in an old, pre-Vatican II moral theology book - I don’t know if it’s still valid. It said that, because a priest is entitled to a good reputation, which may be questioned if he unexpectedly didn’t say Mass when he was supposed to, he could say Mass without going to confession first, if he was in mortal sin. (I think it was assumed that it was a “secret” mortal sin, i.e. a sin that nobody else knew about.) He had to make an act of perfect contrition and go to Confession as soon as possible, ideally within one or two days. I don’t have the book with me at the moment and so I can’t give a reference, but it does seem to support previous answers.